ONLINE PIGGING SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A heat transfer system, comprising:
- a heat source coupled to a chamber having a tubing coil disposed therein, the heat source adapted to heat at least a portion of a fluid in the tubing coil into a heated fluid by providing heat to the tubing coil, the tubing coil having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet adapted to receive the fluid for flowing through a flow path in the tubing coil and the outlet adapted to allow the heated fluid to exit the tubing coil;
a first inlet connection coupled to the inlet for coupling with a supply line to supply the fluid into the tubing coil;
a second inlet connection coupled to the inlet and fluidicly independent of the first inlet connection;
an inlet valve coupled to the second inlet connection;
a third inlet connection coupled to the inlet valve;
a pig launcher coupled to the third inlet connection, the pig launcher adapted to launch a pig into the tubing coil through the inlet valve;
a first outlet connection coupled to the outlet and adapted to allow the heated fluid to exit therethrough;
a second outlet connection coupled to the outlet and fluidicly independent of the first outlet connection;
an outlet valve coupled to the second outlet connection;
a third outlet connection coupled to the outlet valve; and
a pig receiver coupled to the third outlet connection, the pig receiver adapted to receive the pig from the tubing coil through the outlet valve.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The disclosure provides a heat transfer system having a tubing coil for heating fluid flowing therein, where the tubing coil can be pigged (descaled) while operationally online, instead of offline. The online system uses an assembly of valves and associated equipment to connect to a pig launcher and pig receiver while the system is online. A valve opens and the pig launches into the flow stream under pressure through the valve and travels along the tube with the fluid. The system continues to produce heated fluid with the pig in the flow path. A pig receiver receives the pig after the pigging, and then is isolated from the flow path of the heated fluid by another valve. The pig launcher, pig receiver, and pig are removed, and this process is repeated for any other passes in the tubing coil.
25 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A heat transfer system, comprising:
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a heat source coupled to a chamber having a tubing coil disposed therein, the heat source adapted to heat at least a portion of a fluid in the tubing coil into a heated fluid by providing heat to the tubing coil, the tubing coil having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet adapted to receive the fluid for flowing through a flow path in the tubing coil and the outlet adapted to allow the heated fluid to exit the tubing coil; a first inlet connection coupled to the inlet for coupling with a supply line to supply the fluid into the tubing coil; a second inlet connection coupled to the inlet and fluidicly independent of the first inlet connection; an inlet valve coupled to the second inlet connection; a third inlet connection coupled to the inlet valve; a pig launcher coupled to the third inlet connection, the pig launcher adapted to launch a pig into the tubing coil through the inlet valve; a first outlet connection coupled to the outlet and adapted to allow the heated fluid to exit therethrough; a second outlet connection coupled to the outlet and fluidicly independent of the first outlet connection; an outlet valve coupled to the second outlet connection; a third outlet connection coupled to the outlet valve; and a pig receiver coupled to the third outlet connection, the pig receiver adapted to receive the pig from the tubing coil through the outlet valve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of pigging a heat transfer system, the system having a heat source coupled to a chamber having a tubing coil disposed therein, the tubing coil having one or more tubing passes, the heat source adapted to heat at least a portion of the fluid in the tubing coil into a heated fluid by providing heat to the tubing coil, the tubing coil having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet adapted to receive the fluid for flowing through a flow path in the tubing coil, and the outlet adapted to allow the heated fluid to exit the tubing coil,
the heat transfer system further having: - a first inlet connection coupled to the inlet for coupling with a supply line to supply the fluid into the tubing coil;
an inlet valve coupled to the inlet fluidicly independent of the first inlet connection;
a pig launcher coupled to the inlet valve, the pig launcher adapted to launch a pig into the tubing coil through the inlet valve;
a first outlet connection coupled to the outlet and adapted to allow the heated fluid to exit therethrough;
an outlet valve coupled to the outlet fluidicly independent of the first outlet connection; and
a pig receiver coupled to the outlet valve, the pig receiver adapted to receive the pig from the tubing coil through the outlet valve, the method comprising;maintaining operation of the heat transfer system by continuing to supply fluid through the first inlet connection into the tubing coil; opening the inlet valve; launching the pig into a tubing pass of the tubing coil through the inlet valve and into a flow path of the fluid; descaling tubing surfaces of the tubing pass while continuing to generate the heated fluid in the tubing pass; opening the outlet valve; ejecting the pig through the outlet valve into the pig receiver; and flowing the heated fluid generated upstream and downstream of the pig in the tubing pass through the outlet independent of the outlet valve. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- a first inlet connection coupled to the inlet for coupling with a supply line to supply the fluid into the tubing coil;
Specification